Saudi Government a Liability to the U.S.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump join King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, and the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, Sunday, May 21, 2017, to participate in the inaugural opening of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

At The American Conservative, Daniel Larison plainly states what is well-known to nearly all Americans outside the Washington D.C. bubble, the Saudis are a liability to the United States. He writes (abridged):

Outgoing U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley unwittingly summed up the stupidity of the Trump administration’s embrace of Saudi Arabia in a recent interview:

“What I can tell you that’s so important is that the Saudis have been our partner in defeating and dealing with Iran. And that has been hugely important.”

While Haley is certain that it is important, there is no evidence that what she claims is true. The Saudis have not been “our partner in defeating and dealing with Iran.

Iran hawks have an uncanny ability to support policies that end up strengthening Iranian influence in the region in misguided attempts to hurt them. We all know they backed the invasion of Iraq, which was by far the greatest boon to the Iranian government that anyone has done in a long time.

Mohammed bin Salman and his government have been worse than useless when it comes to “defeating and dealing with Iran,” but Iran hawks couldn’t be more pleased with both the crown prince and the Saudi government.

All of this is a timely reminder that the U.S.-Saudi relationship is not nearly as important or valuable to the U.S. as its apologists claim, and the Saudi government is little more than a liability.